Lepidium fremontii

Desert pepperwood
Brassicaceae

A member of the mustard family, Lepidium fremontii is one of the most fragrant plants found in the Mojave desert. The scent of this plant is very sweet and slightly musky, and can be recognized from quite a long way away.

These plants are found in a variety of environments, including canyons, washes, rocky slopes, and juniper woodlands.

Phacelia mustelina

Death-valley phacelia
Boraginaceae (formerly Hydrophyllaceae)

Found in a very small number of canyons near Death Valley, P. mustelina is a BLM protected special status plant. Small and unobtrusive, its petite flowers are easly missed, but are quite a treat when found. Like most phacelias, its stems and leaves bear long trichomes with aromatic secretions. In some people, these chemicals can prompt an allergic reaction similar to that of Toxicodendron diversilobum.